This week is the first football game for University of South Carolina against Georgia State! If you are a freshman at UofSC and are feeling overwhelmed by the process, here’s everything you need to know.
Student ticketing process
Students at University of South Carolina get to go to all sporting events for free! We are the only school in the SEC who offers free football games for students. A week before the game, students will receive an email with a link to request football tickets. Tickets are awarded on a point basis which can be earned by attending sporting events and seniority status. The Wednesday prior to a game, you will receive a QR code ticket that is either for the Upper Deck or Student Section in the Lower Deck. Save this ticket to your Apple Wallet and use it to scan in on gameday!
Getting to The Stadium
There are free shuttles that will be picking up students on Greene street and taking them to the stadium. I highly recommend this option because not only do you save money on Ubers, but you also save time because the buses get exclusive access to closed roads.
Tailgating
There are so many options for tailgating the game! Freshman are able to tailgate on Greene Street which is perfect to get into the spirit before taking the bus to the stadium. Once you get to the stadium, stop by Gamecock Park. Here you will find more University and family tailgates, and the Gamecock Walk. The Gamecock Walk is when the team and coaches’ parade into Williams Brice before the game. The energy is electric, you can’t miss it. You will also find several family and friend tailgates at the fairgrounds right across from the Stadium but none of these are university sponsored.
If you are looking for student tailgates with more of a party environment, you will find this at many apartment complexes or the Frat Lots and Southern Lots. The Frat Lots and Southern Lots are both dirt properties that fraternities have tents on. Each fraternity has their own tent, DJ, and audience but it is all in one central location so you can go between frat tents. The only difference between the Southern Lots and the Frat Lots is the location, and which frats are there. Girls have to pay for $10 tickets to go to either of them. If you are a male and not in a fraternity, you are not able to go without getting a guest pass from a fraternity member. I personally like the Frat Lots better because it is bigger and closer to the stadium. You can find out information about Frat Lots on Twitter and information on the Southern Lots on the Red Rope app.
Getting into the game
If you are going to the lower deck student section, you need to enter through the student gate. If you have an upper-level ticket, then you will enter the Northeast corner gates. Make sure that your phone is charged so that they can scan your ticket. They will check your clear bag, give you a wristband and then you will be good to go! The student section doesn’t have assigned seats, but the upper level does. The doors to enter the game open two hours before so you can go early to get a good seat if you’d like, but make sure you get there before the doors close at halftime.
Traditions
Now that you made it to the game, let’s talk about the traditions you will want to know while you are there. You’ll see a white rally towel on your seat, that is for our iconic hype song, Sandstorm. Every time the song plays, the crowd goes crazy waving the rally towel in the air.
Another thing you will hear a lot is our favorite cheer, GAME-COCKS. The cheerleaders will initiate it with their signs telling which side of the stadium to say game, and which side to respond cocks. Lastly, you should know our alma mater. It is okay to not know all the words, but you should know the last line “Here’s a health, Carolina, forever to thee”. Everyone in the stadium stands up for this line and extends their arm out forming a C with their hand.
Go Gamecocks!
